Vibratory finishing



Oct. 5, 1965 G. w. POWELL VIBRATORY FINISHING 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 28, 1962 '55." .U... Z9 27 Z5 INVENTOR George W. Powe/ZL BY /5 dma/5% ATTORNEYS Oct. 5, 1965 G. w. POWELL VIBRATORY FINISHING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 28, 1962 INVENTOR GemgeM/Powe/ZL BY@ ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,209,497 VIBRATORY FINISHING George W. Powell, Hagerstown, Md., assigner, by mesne assignments, to The Pangborn Corporation, Hagerstown, Md., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 28, 1962, Ser. No. 206,018 Claims. (Cl. 51-163) The present invention relates to a vibratory finishing device, more particularly to a device suitable for finishing metal and plastic parts or the like as by deburring, descaling, cleaning, polishing and so forth.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a vibratory finishing apparatus in which work pieces are finished with a high degree of efficiency and convenience.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had from the following description and claims, reference being made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation partly in section along the line 1 1 of FIG. 2, of an elongated vibrating apparatus illustrative of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 taken along the line 3 3;

FIG. 4 is a perspective View of a modified form of a section of the apparatus typical of the present invention taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an end portion of the apparatus showing a further modification; and FIGS. 6 and 7 are a side view in section and a plan view in section, respectively, of a fragment of apparatus showing still further modifications.

According to the present invention, we find that products may be conveniently and effectively subjected to the desired finishing operations in a vibratory finishing apparatus made up of one or more open-ended generally trough-shaped containers having resilient supporting means, supporting the containers so that they may be vibrated, a generally horizontal shaft rotatably secured to each container, a vibrator-y element connected to each shaft, coupling structure at the ends of each container and shaft for combining and synchronizing the parts to effect a variation in the capacity and to secure optimum operating eiciency. One or more of the containers can have their internal surface equipped with transverse ribs f-or imparting to the work pieces being vibrated a component of motion or axial drift of abrasive and work pieces perpendicular to the open end. A plurality of open containers of the above type can be secured together to make an elongated assembly in which long work pieces are most easily received and treated.

In FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, there is shown an illustration of a preferred vibratory finishing apparatus having open end containers 1 equipped with end anges 6 and generally horizontal wings 7 on each side. Piers 9 connected together by crosspieces 10 hold resilient supporting means 11 shown as air cushions upon which wings 7 are supportably positioned so that the container can be vibrated. It should be understood that other type suspension assemblies can be used such as the opposed air cushion assembly shown in copending patent application Serial No. 4,908 filed January 27, 1960, now Patent No. 3,063,207, dated November 13, 1962. The particular boot structure shown in the presen-t application can be substituted for the one shown in the above identified application. Skirts 13 depending from the bottom of container 1 hold bearings 17 in which is journaled a shaft 15 carrying an eccentrically mounted weight 19. The shaft also carries a pulley wheel 27 driven by motor 23 through belt 29. To each end of the shaft is secured a coupling connector 21 and these Aconnectors of adjoin- 3,209,497 Patented Oct. 5, 1965 ICC ing container units are secured together with their respective weights all aligned so that the assembly vibrates as one member.

The open containers are trough-shaped in transverse section, and are shown assembled as a group of three units bolted together at their open ends through abutting flanges. Although the outer or unconnected ends of the container assembly can have integrally formed end walls, the illustrated construction has separate bolted-on end walls 31 (FIG. 5). The number of units in a single assembly can vary from one to five or more, and each unit may have an axial length of about four to eight feet.

The electric motors 23 for the individual units can be fixed in place, that is so that they do not vibrate with their shafts inasmuch as the drive connections 25, 27 and 29 will give effective power transmission notwithstanding the small amount of belt tension variation caused by the oscillations in the shaft. Also some of themotors can be omitted or disconnected when adequate power is obtained, with less than one motor for each container in the assembly.

The vibrating frequency at which the apparatus is driven is easily controlled by merely using a standard induction type A.C. motor, and supplying the motor with electrical power having an appropriate frequency. Thus, a 60-cycle power supply to such a motor can drive it at 1800 rpm., whereas 50-cycle power will drive it at SS of 1800 or 1500 r.p.m. A generator having a controllable output frequency is conveniently used to change the vibrating frequency without any mechanical change in the vibratory apparatus itself.

The containers of the assembly are usefully equipped with a resilient liner 3. Such a liner may be vulcanized in situ or molded externally between removable mold shells and then cemented into the container. In a con- :tinuous operation, it is also found useful to mold generally transverse ribs 5 into the liner 3 each being disposed at an angle to the axis of the container with one end of the ribs being closer to one end of the container than the other end for increased control over the lateral (axial) ow of work without requiring a tilting of the work container 1. The ribs can extend to the top edges of the tub, if desired. Also the ribs can be as high as desired. For instance, they can extend upwardly from the liner for 2-5 inches or more. When the ribs are placed at an angle greater or less than to the long axis of the container the rate of work fiow toward the discharge end of the container is increased as compared with the flow when no ribs are used or the ribs run perpendicular to the long axis `of the container. The work in the container tends to be driven around in a more or less circular path around the long axis, and the ribs appear to act like a screw conveyor with respect :to such rotating work.

For the purpose of the present invention, the liner may vary from about 1/2" to about 2 in thickness, a minimal thickness of about 1" being generally suitable although less protection is required for the two ends of the assembly.

A number of materials such as rubber, polyethylene, polyvinylchloride, polyurethanes and epoxy resins are suitable as liners. If rubber is employed, however, it is found that a thin brass or copper coating on the inside of the container will provide better adhesion for the vulcanized rubber.

One useful modification of the present invention comprises employing a number of containers and associated parts in a continuous process in which selected container units have no inside ribs, such as indicated in FIG. 3, or, alternatively, the ribs are arranged so as to be approximately parallel to the long axis of the container, as shown by ribs 5a in FIG, 6, and thereby obtain a maximum of axial drift or migration while other containers encourage a minimum of drift by having ribs arranged generally perpendicular to the long axis of the container, as shown by ribs 5b in FIG. 7. In this manner the relative amount of vexposure to treatment is varied in the respective treatment zones. Parts of long work pieces can accordingly be subjected to different actions in the different zones. However, the movement of the Work pieces and the abrasive or other media added to the container is not only a function of the angle of the baffles or spiral ribs, but also of the size and weight of the object, the amplitude and fre quency of vibratory movement to which the container is subjected, and the particular type of abrasive media employed therein.

Each unit of the assembled apparatus is preferably resiliently supported by employing devices such as pneumatic cushions which can have their internal pressure varied to alter the resiliency and adjust for proper leveling of the container and/or of the drive connections. In each case, however, the position of such resilient supporting devices depends upon the way in which the vi- Abrating means including and 19 are arranged with respect to the supporting piers and crosspieces 9 and 10 of the apparatus.

The air cushions 11 are most conveniently arranged so that they are effectively below the container, preferably in symmetrical spaced relationship. A cushionis effectively below the container when, as shown in FIG. 3, the container or a supporting member secured to the container rests on top of the cushion.

Each air cushion can be in the very simple form of a pair of substantially rigid open cups with their open sides facing each other and held apart by a resilient hollow air-filled tube having open ends secured in the respective cups. It is also advantageous to have the air cushions connected to a source of air (not shown) under variable pressure. All the air cushions supporting an individual unit or assembly of units can for example, be connected to one air source. Tilting of the containers can also be effected by such pressure adjustments, as for example in a continuous process where work pieces are continuously moved longitudinally of the containers. On the other hand, the cushion assembly shown in the aforementioned Patent No. 3,063,207 can also be used.

Since many different embodiments of the invention may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited by the specific illustrations except to the extent defined in the following claims.

What is claimed:

1. A vibratory finishing device comprising, in combination, a plurality of endwise connected work containers including outermost disposed containers each having an outer end, resilient supporting means supporting each container so that the container can be vibrated, a generally horizontal shaft rotatably secured to each container, vibration elements connected to said shafts to develop vibration when each shaft is rotated, and coupling structure on each end of each of said shafts for coupling the shaft of one work container with that of another container to vibrate the plurality of containers together, said outermost containers having end walls at said outer ends while all other ends of the containers are open to provide a continuous open area between said end walls.

2. The device according to claim 1 in which the inside wall of each container is equipped with generally transverse ribs, each being disposed at an angle to the axis of the container with one end of said ribs being closer to one end of the container than the other end.

v3. The device according to claim 1 in which the coupling structure only couples when the vibration elements of the shafts are in alignment with each other.

4. A device according to claim 1 in which the inside surface of the container is smooth.

5. A vibratory finishing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the shafts have actuating drive connections for connection with a shaft drive means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,703,550 3/55 Bell 51-164 X 2,973,606 3/61 Brandt 51--163 3,071,900 l/63 Balz 51-163 LESTER M. SWINGLE, Primary Examiner.

JOHN C. CHRISTIE, Examiner. 

1. A VIBRATORY FINISHING DEVICE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A PLURALITY OF ENDWISE CONNECTED WORK CONTAINERS INCLUDING OUTERMOST DISPOSED CONTAINERS EACH HAVING AN OUTER END, RESILIENT SUPPORTING MEANS SUPPORTING EACH CONTAINER SO TAHT THE CONTAINER CAN BE VIBRATED, A GENERALLY HORIZNTAL SHAFT ROTATABLY SECURED TO EACH CONTAINER, VIBRATION ELEMENTS CONNECTED TO SAID SHAFTS TO DEVELOP VIBRATION WHEN EACH SHAFT IS ROTATED, AND COUPLING STRUCTURE ON EACH END OF EACH OF SAID SHAFTS FOR COUPLING THE SHAFT OF ONE WORK CONTAINER WITH THAT OF ANOTHER CONTAINER TO VIBRATE THE PLURALITY OF CONTAINERS TOGETHER, SAID OUTERMOST CONTAINERS HAVING END WALLS AT SAID OUTER ENDS WHILE ALL OTHER ENDS OF SAID CONTAINERS ARE OPEN TO PROVIDE A CONTINUOUS OPEN AREA BETWEEN SAID END WALLS. 